Criminals convicted of disarming a peace officer during a struggle will face tougher penalties, under legislation sponsored by Senator Tim Bivins and passed May 27 by a unanimous vote of the Senate.

Sponsored in the House of Representatives by Representative Jim Sacia of Pecatonica, House Bill 5653 increases the penalty for disarming a peace officer or correctional employee from a Class 2 felony to a Class 1 felony, punishable by 4-15 years in prison.

Senator Bivins, who served as Sheriff of Lee County for 20 years, says such situations are life-threatening for the officer, as well as other people who are in the vicinity.

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“When I was Sheriff, one of my deputies encountered such a situation. A suspect had stolen a car and the deputy chased him into a field. The suspect tried to disarm the deputy and although he was not successful in getting the gun, he did admit that his intent was to shoot the officer,” Senator Bivins said. “With this legislation, we are letting offenders know that if they attempt such actions, they will face much tougher penalties and more time behind bars.”

Originally approved by the House April 9, House Bill 5653 now returns to the House for concurrence with changes made to it in the Senate. It is supported by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, the Illinois State Police, the State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor, the Cook County State’s Attorney, the Cook County Sheriff, and the City of Chicago.